


First Impressions

by CantStopTheSignal



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:19:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1453531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CantStopTheSignal/pseuds/CantStopTheSignal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sophos' first look at the thief that would someday change his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Impressions

Sophos was nervous. This was going to be his first major trip and the best part was, once they got on the road, there was no way to contact his father. The magus was going along too and Sophos could ask all of the questions he wanted without fear of recriminations. 

He and Ambiades were putting the saddlebags on the horses when the Magus came out of the archway talking to Pol. Of course Pol was there. Sophos gave an internal sigh. Now that he thought about it, there was no way that his father or uncle would let him travel alone with the magus without some sort of protection and his father was too paranoid to trust anyone else than Pol for a journey this long. Not that Pol was bad, but Sophos would have preferred to take this trip without someone who would report his every move to his father.

“Ambidades, you did pack the maps, right?” the magus asked.

“Of course, they’re in this saddlebag.” Ambiades took the saddlebag down and started rustling around in it. He frowned as he couldn’t find the maps. They then proceeded to unload all of the packs that the two of them had just placed on the pack horse. The horse shifted nervously at the mess at his feet.

“I gave you one job…” the magus yelled at Ambiades and started to swear at him. When he finally vented enough, he sent Ambiades back into the castle shouting after him, “Look for it on the bench next to the retort. That’s where it was when I told you to pack it the first time. Idiot.” The last was muttered under his breath.

Sophos blushed in embarrassment for his first friend and looked around the courtyard for anything else to think about. There standing between some guards was a peasant boy who looked a couple years younger than himself. He was dressed in a shirt that had probably started off as a yellow but was now a sad beige. The shirt and breeches were ripped and smeared with mud. There was a faint smell wafting from where he stood. He had his hands in front of his eyes as if to block the faint sun shining into the courtyard. Why was he here?

Motion of Ambiades returning caught Sophos’ eye. He was carrying a small square leather case which Sophos knew contained carefully drawn maps of the surrounding countries, which he then dropped into the saddlebag. He then proceeded to shove the waiting piles back on top of it, leaving the grooms to put them back on the horse.

“I had planned to leave at daybreak,” the magus said to no one in particular. He raised his voice slightly, “Pol! Get the boys mounted. I’ll load the thief.”

Was the peasant boy a thief? Why did they need a thief? Sophos had thought the treasure that they were after was unguarded somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Wasn’t it going to be an unauthorized archeology dig?

Sophos pondered this while ungracefully mounting his horse. He wasn’t the best rider but looking at the young ragamuffin, he was reminded that he was lucky that he had at least ridden a horse before. The thief didn’t even know what foot to put in the stirrup. The magus had a firm grip on his neck to keep him from backing away from the horse until two grooms could toss him up into the saddle. He looked absolutely terrified up there. Sophos felt sorry for him. He knew how it was to not be as athletic as people would wish. It was obvious that the boy hadn’t volunteered to come along.

As they started out underneath the arches, Sophos stared at the thief’s back. Maybe on this trip he would gain his second friend. In any case, it would be an interesting adventure. He couldn’t wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the extremely late post. School got hectic. Please let me know how I did.


End file.
